CES: Track your activity level, get cheaper health insurance?

Letting your auto insurance company monitor your driving habits can lead to better rates. Some day soon, the same may hold true for health insurers interested in your daily health and fitness activity.

Kelli B. Grant

BodyMedia’s patch is a disposable version of its tracking hardware for consumers, monitoring steps taken, sleep quality and other data. The patch is fixed to your upper arm and worn nonstop for seven days. A company spokeswoman says that after its launch later this year, the patch will be available primarily to insurance companies, doctors and employers.

The expectation: Those corporate clients might use it to get a snapshot of a person’s health habits or to provide an incentive for employees to initiate healthier activities. According to a 2012 survey from benefits administrator Aeon Hewitt, 84% of companies now offer employees incentives for taking a health-risk assessment. Almost two-thirds offer rewards for biometric screenings, and 51% do so for participating in other health and wellness programs.

The temporary tracking could be equally inspiring for consumers who want to get fit. ”Many people are motivated by seeing their data,” says Jessica Matthews, an exercise physiologist with the American Council on Exercise. It also allows for better diagnosis and treatment, since users can’t exaggerate their habits, says a BodyMedia spokeswoman. (A price has yet to be determined.)

Senior consumer reporter and “Deal of Day” columnist Kelli B. Grant travels to Las Vegas to find the best, the worst, and the most hyped gadgets at this year’s Consumer Electronics Show. Join her as she roams the exhibit floor for three days, with dispatches here and on Twitter @kelligrant.

2013 Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas

Senior consumer reporter Kelli B. Grant will travel booth to booth at this year’s Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas (Jan. 8-11) to find the best, the worst, and the most-hyped gadgets and gizmos. Read her dispatches and follow other CES news and tweets here. (Photo at 2012 CES: Getty Images)

CES: Track your activity level, get cheaper health insurance?

Letting your auto insurance company monitor your driving habits can lead to better rates. Some day soon, the same may hold true for health insurers interested in your daily health and fitness activity.

Kelli B. Grant

BodyMedia’s patch is a disposable version of its tracking hardware for consumers, monitoring steps taken, sleep quality and other data. The patch is fixed to your upper arm and worn nonstop for seven days. A company spokeswoman says that after its launch later this year, the patch will be available primarily to insurance companies, doctors and employers.

The expectation: Those corporate clients might use it to get a snapshot of a person’s health habits or to provide an incentive for employees to initiate healthier activities. According to a 2012 survey from benefits administrator Aeon Hewitt, 84% of companies now offer employees incentives for taking a health-risk assessment. Almost two-thirds offer rewards for biometric screenings, and 51% do so for participating in other health and wellness programs.

The temporary tracking could be equally inspiring for consumers who want to get fit. ”Many people are motivated by seeing their data,” says Jessica Matthews, an exercise physiologist with the American Council on Exercise. It also allows for better diagnosis and treatment, since users can’t exaggerate their habits, says a BodyMedia spokeswoman. (A price has yet to be determined.)

Senior consumer reporter and “Deal of Day” columnist Kelli B. Grant travels to Las Vegas to find the best, the worst, and the most hyped gadgets at this year’s Consumer Electronics Show. Join her as she roams the exhibit floor for three days, with dispatches here and on Twitter @kelligrant.